A Tale of Two Daughters

Last week we began to examine this section of Luke’s Gospel where he is highlighting Jesus’ divine authority over all creation.

In last week’s text, Jesus calmed the winds and the waves on the Sea of Galilee by simply speaking to them.

He then delivered the man who had been possessed by thousands of demons.

This morning we are going to see Jesus’ power over disease and death.

Both of these instances deal with desperation.

First we will be introduced to a Father who’s daughter is dying and he is desperate for Jesus’ help.

Then we will meet a woman who has been bleeding for more than a decade that is desperate for healing.

And as Jesus aids them in their desperation.

He is good and gracious to them.

He is loving and compassionate toward them.

And on top of all that, Jesus is also demonstrating his power, authority, and calling.

As we are examining the passage this morning, I want you to recognize the simplicity of these people’s faith.

They didn’t have a robust understanding of theology.

They couldn’t answer every question.

But they had faith.

And that faith Saved them.

Why could that faith save them?

B/c they had the object of that faith correct.

They didn’t trust in themselves.

They trusted in Jesus.

And if there is nothing else that you take away from this morning’s sermon, this is what I want you to know.

Simple faith in Jesus can bring life transformation.

And we will see that this morning.

Let’s pray and ask for the Lord’s help this morning as we examine the Scripture.

Luke 8:40–42 CSB

40 When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Just then, a man named Jairus came. He was a leader of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’s feet and pleaded with him to come to his house, 42 because he had an only daughter about twelve years old, and she was dying. While he was going, the crowds were nearly crushing him.

A Desperate Father

Jesus had returned back from his trip across the sea after overcoming a storm and freeing a man possessed with demons.

and we learn here that people were expecting him.

They welcomed him.

This wasn’t a small crowd of people.

Jesus was becoming somewhat of a local celebrity.

Word of his healing power and teaching was spreading and people wanted to see this man who can do what seems impossible.

As the crowd was closing in on Jesus, a man approached him.

His name is Jarius.

What do we learn about Jarius in these verses?

He was a leader in the synagogue.

This means that he was in charge of overseeing and teaching in the local place of worship.

Remember, as we’ve touched on before, the Synagogue was the social and spiritual center of a given community.

So Jarius was well known and viewed as a leader in the community.

A man well respected and revered in the community.

But at this time, Jarius was also a broken man.

His heart was aching.

And he heard Jesus had come to town.

So he approaches Jesus with a simple faith.

He falls down at the Lord’s feet pleading on behalf of his daughter.

Falling down at Jesus’ feet would not have been a respectable action for a man in Jarius’ position.

However, he wasn’t concerned with how the members of the community would have viewed him.

He was desperate.

Why was he desperate?

B/c his daughter was dying.

The text says his only daughter, the Greek is a little more clear.

This isn’t just his only daughter. This is his only child.

I can only imagine the amount of desperation and grief this man is facing.

He desperately wants Jesus to come to his house and heal his daughter.

That’s the simple faith of this man.

He knows that Jesus can heal his daughter.

He knows that though she is on the edge of death, Jesus can bring her back.

He has faith that Jesus can save his daughter.

This girl is 12 years old, on the brink of becoming a woman in their society and her life is in danger of being cut short.

We don’t know what the issue is.

We don’t know what caused her to be sick, but we do know that her father is pleading for her life to be restored.

He is desperate for Jesus to heal.

He fears for his daughters life.

I want us to see that there was nothing that was going to stop this man from getting to Jesus.

Though the crowds are pushing in on Jesus, Jarius is going to make every effort to approach him and plead for his daughter’s life.

Before making it to Jarius’ home, Jesus is approached by another person in a desperate situation.

Luke 8:43–44 CSB

43 A woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years, who had spent all she had on doctors and yet could not be healed by any, 44 approached from behind and touched the end of his robe. Instantly her bleeding stopped.

A Desperate Woman

Imagine a more desperate situation than the man and his daughter and it might be this woman’s.

She had been bleeding for 12 years.

In the providence of God, this woman had been bleeding that little girl’s whole life.

And this woman felt helpless.

She tried everything.

She went to the doctors.

She spent her money.

The way that Mark talks about this woman in his gospel he says.

He says, Mark 5:25–26 “25 Now a woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years 26 had endured much under many doctors. She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse.”

Not only had she become destitute b/c of her disease, but she is also hopeless and getting worse.

Now, for us bleeding for 12 years would be annoying and inconvenient.

We would also want to seek out doctors to heal us and solve the issue.

And if we spent time, money, energy, and 12 years of our life seeking answer only to come up empty handed we would be devastated and desperate too.

But I want us to know that this wasn’t a mere inconvenience for this women.

Her life was drastically impacted by this disease.

This disease had ruined her life.

According to the Scriptures, specifically Lev 15, this woman was considered unclean.

This means that she couldn’t have physical contact with other people.

B/c her touching others would cause them to be unclean.

It also meant that she would have to announce her uncleanliness if she was in a crowd, so that people would know to avoid her.

It also meant that she couldn’t go to the temple or synagogue b/c of her uncleanliness.

She was shut out from her religious life and was a social outcast.

People who knew her would avoid her.

Others wouldn’t pay her any mind.

This is speculation, but if she had been married, b/c she couldn’t lay in the same bed with her husband he would have most likely divorced her.

So yes, the bleeding for 12 years was a lot, but the ramification both personally, socially, and religiously would have taken an immense toll on her as well.

So when she had heard about this man who works miracles, it’s no doubt that she would find away to get close to him.

She wanted to be cleansed.

She wanted to be made whole.

She wanted to be saved from the wreckage of her life b/c of this disease.

So she steps out in faith.

She presses into the crowd.

Believing that even if she touches the robe of this man she will be made well.

She touches the corner of his garment.

Now this could have been the robe itself, but it also could have been what’s called a tzitzit.

These are the tassels that hang from the edges of Jewish people clothing.

Nevertheless, here’s what she understood.

Jesus didn’t have to see her.

He didn’t have to speak to her.

He didn’t even have to know that she touched him.

And she had the faith that he would heal her.

And that’s exactly what happened.

Immediately after touching the edge of his robe she was made whole.

Her bleeding that had been happening for 12 long and agonizing years stopped.

The treatments before made it worse, but touching the robe of Jesus made her well.

Luke 8:45–48 CSB

45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are hemming you in and pressing against you.” 46 “Someone did touch me,” said Jesus. “I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 When the woman saw that she was discovered, she came trembling and fell down before him. In the presence of all the people, she declared the reason she had touched him and how she was instantly healed. 48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

A Daughter Saved

Jesus knew that something had happened.

He knew that the power of the HS had flowed out of him and touched another.

But remember he’s in a crowd.

There are lots of people around him.

Lots of people touching him.

When I think about this scene I can’t help but think about those pictures and images from the early 2000’s where people are trying to get the black Friday deals at Walmart.

They are no longer individuals in line, but a mass of humanity pressing toward a single point.

That’s what I imagine this scene with Jesus looks like until, she touches his robe.

And when she touches his robe, Jesus knows that something miraculous has happened.

Now the questions that enters into people’s mind when Jesus asks the question “Who touched me?” is the question of Jesus’ divinity.

Did Jesus know who touched him?

Or was he really looking for someone?

If Jesus didn’t know does that call into questions his being the Son of God?

And these are questions that scholars think about b/c of their implications.

But here’s what I want us to think about, is it possible Jesus didn’t know who touched him?

Yes, remember one of the amazing things about the incarnation, that Jesus stepping off his throne in heaven and coming to live on earth in flesh, is that he does accept some limitations of humanity.

He isn’t omnipresent.

He gets tired.

He gets hungry.

He is both truly God and truly man.

So it is possible that he didn’t know who touched him.

On the other hand, it’s also possible that he does know and he’s just giving this woman an opportunity to speak up for herself.

Either way, I think Peter’s response to Jesus is similar to what I would say to Jesus if he asked that question.

Peter thinks it’s a ridiculous question b/c there are a ton of people around.

Luke 8:45 “45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are hemming you in and pressing against you.””

It’s almost as if Peter is saying, it’s impossible to know who touched you b/c they are all touching you.

They are pressing all around you.

But what Peter doesn’t understand, is that when this woman touched Jesus a miracle happened.

The power of Jesus went out from him and healed this woman.

The woman then stepped forward and admitted to being the one who touched Jesus.

However, notice her response to him.

She fell at his feet trembling.

There’s no reason given for her fear.

Maybe she was afraid that Jesus would rebuke her b/c in touching him, he would become ritually unclean.

Maybe she responded in fear b/c she had experienced the power of God.

And she was in awe of what had happened.

Maybe she was afraid that she was presumptuous in approaching Jesus and feared that he would rebuke her.

We aren’t given the reason for her fear.

Luke doesn’t find it necessary to tell us why she was afraid.

What he does do is show us the the proper response to God’s power and authority is to be fearful.

Being in the presence of God demands a right response.

And the right response is worship.

The right response is to fall down at his feet knowing that whatever he has done, we don’t deserve it.

The right response is to see his generosity and beauty in the midst of our pain and suffering.

This woman recognized that all she could do after her healing was fall at the feet of Jesus.

Now regardless of what she thought was going to happen when she was made known.

I can almost guarantee you that she didn’t have Jesus’ response on her list of possibilities.

Jesus looked down on this woman and said this wonderful phrase.

Luke 8:48 “48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has saved you. Go in peace.””

This is the only time in all of the gospels that Jesus ever calls someone “Daughter”.

This is a special and intimate moment for Jesus and this woman.

This woman who had been isolated, alone, and shunned for the last 12 years.

Has finally felt the freedom of healing and restoration.

And the man that healed her b/c of her faith, calls her daughter.

The king of the cosmos, creator of the universe looks down at this woman and calls her daughter.

This daughter has been healed.

She was healed b/c she had faith in Jesus.

She was healed not b/c of her faith, but b/c of the object of her faith.

Jesus is the great physician.

And as I’ve stated before, these pictures told by the gospel authors are real and work on a variety of different levels.

Though this woman was healed physically from the disease that had ravaged her body.

Something more had happened.

B/c of her faith in Jesus, she wasn’t just healed she was saved.

Most translations use the phrase “Daughter, your faith has made you well, or your faith has healed you.

But the Greek word used here isn’t healed or made well.

It is literally saved.

Jesus is telling her that she didn’t just receive physical healing, but she received spiritual healing as well.

She is now a part of the family of God.

She has become a daughter of the king.

Every time a sinner approaches Jesus in genuine faith he looks down at them and says, “Daughter your faith has saved you. Son your faith has saved you.”

This is a signal that we have been adopted into the family of God.

What an amazing reality that we step into.

We get to be in an intimate relationship with the savior of the world.

The creator of the cosmos.

This woman, went from isolation and outcast to daughter of the king.

She had spent the last 12 years abandoned by the world around her, and in these very few moments she was seen by the one who created her.

And we can partake in this reality too.

Our sin is like this disease draining us of life.

Separating us from the Lord.

But if we come to Jesus in faith, we can be saved.

We will be healed.

We will be made whole.

We will be called son or daughter by the Lord himself.

And we come into this family not on the basis of our ancestry, but on the merits of our faith in Jesus.

Much like Jarius’ faith earlier, her faith wasn’t perfect.

Her faith wasn’t well informed all she was seeking was healing.

But though her faith isn’t perfect or well informed it was real and genuine.

She knew that Jesus could help her.

So regardless of the circumstances.

Regardless of the obstacles.

Regardless of the shame and embarrassment, She made her way to Jesus and found healing.

After her healing and comfort of Jesus, he tells her to go in peace.

There is no longer a war raging within her body.

She is no longer an enemy of God.

She can now have peace b/c Jesus is the peace maker and peace giver.

This type of peace is the byproduct of salvation in Jesus.

The storms of her life have been calmed by the giver of life.

And with that we also get to live in peace.

That’s what Jesus promises to those who follow after him.

He doesn’t promise that all the difficulties of life will cease forever, but he does promise that he will grant us peace to walk in.

What a precious gift from our savior.

I can only imagine how this woman feels after being restored and called daughter by Jesus.

But let’s not forget that this story takes place in the midst of another one.

Jarius is still standing there waiting for Jesus to come and heal his daughter.

I bet there is an urgency and frustration that Jarius feels watching this play out.

Death was at his daughter’s doorstep.

Then we read this

Luke 8:49 CSB

49 While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

A Daughter’s Death

While Jesus was healing this woman, Jarius’ daughter passed away.

I can’t help but think that Jarius feels the same way Mary and Martha did when Lazarus died.

Remember in John 11, Jesus is informed that his friend Lazarus was sick and dying.

And he waits 3 days before he goes to visit.

In the meantime, Lazarus dies.

When Jesus arrives, Lazarus’ Sister runs out and says, If you would have been here, he wouldn’t have died.

Jarius’ desperation turns into despair.

His daughter.

His only daughter is dead.

The man who could have healed her hadn’t.

There seems to be no reason for Jesus to come back to the house b/c there’s nothing to do now.

But Jesus has a different Plan.

Luke 8:50–56 CSB

50 When Jesus heard it, he answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be saved.” 51 After he came to the house, he let no one enter with him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Everyone was crying and mourning for her. But he said, “Stop crying, because she is not dead but asleep.” 53 They laughed at him, because they knew she was dead. 54 So he took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he gave orders that she be given something to eat. 56 Her parents were astounded, but he instructed them to tell no one what had happened.

Hope Restored

Jesus tells Jarius that hope is not gone.

In fact, his daughter will be saved.

Much like the woman who was bleeding Jarius’ daughter will be restored.

This would have caused some confusion for Jarius, b/c if he believed in a resurrection at all, it wouldn’t happen till the end of days.

Remember we may take this story for granted b/c we know the result.

We know about Jesus’ resurrection, but Jarius and his family would have thought that this was ridiculous.

This even happens when Jesus shows up at the house.

He only takes those closest to him into the house.

His inner circle of disciples Peter, James, and John.

But also in the house are some family members, friends, and professional mourners.

They all knew that this little Girl was dead.

So when Jesus’ says, “She’s only sleeping” they laugh in his face.

She’s not sleeping she’s dead.

But see, Jesus knew something that they didn’t understand.

He has the power of life and death.

He can bring dead things back to life.

He is in the business of resurrection and restoration.

And he’s going to put his power and authority on display for this Family.

Jesus then gently takes this girl’s hand and tells her to “Get up”

Luke tells us that her spirit returned to her and Jesus told the family to get her something to eat.

I find that kind of funny.

Something to eat.

If I was the father I would have wrapped my arms around her and never let her go.

But Jesus wants to make sure that Jarius and his wife know that this isn’t some trick or magic.

This girl is truly and really alive.

She can eat.

This is similar to what happens after Jesus’ resurrection.

To help his disciples understand that he’s really alive, he eats with them.

This wasn’t just a spiritual resurrection it was a physical one too.

B/c of Jarius’ faith in Jesus his daughter now lives again.

And they are astounded by what Jesus did, but he doesn’t want her to become a spectacle.

So he instructs them to keep this to themselves.

Though this is an amazing miracle, it doesn’t need to be told throughout the whole town.

Jesus resurrected and restored this girl.

But what can we take away from this.

3 Things:

First, Jesus is the only way of salvation.

It is through placing our trust in him that we are restored.

That we are made at peace with the living God.

Your faith doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be genuine.

You don’t have to know all the answers to the questions.

You don’t even have to know all the question.

Approach Jesus wanting to be saved, and you will be saved.

You will be made whole.

You will be restored.

Second, for those who have put their faith in Jesus know that even death isn’t final.

The picture painted by Luke of this little girl being resurrected is the hope of our salvation.

One day, all those who believe in Jesus will be given new life.

We will be restored and resurrected into a new world without pain.

Without heartache.

Without the stain of sin and death.

All things will be made right.

All things will be made new.

The same is true for those who have gone before us.

Family and friends who have placed their trust in Jesus will be resurrected as well.

They are truly only sleeping right now until the day of the Lord comes.

Finally, we can know this to be true, b/c Jesus proved his ultimate power over all creation, life, and death on the cross and through his resurrection.

His resurrection from the dead to live eternally at the right hand of the father, is the proof that we will do this one day too.

For those who have trusted in Jesus, We have this hope as an anchor of our soul.

If you haven’t placed your faith in him, today is the day to know and see that he invites you to trust him.

Let’s pray.